War of the Reunions

The War of Reunions (26 Octobber 1683-15 August 1684) was a short-lived conflict between France and Spain and its allies. The war was caused by King Louis XIV of France's 1681 occupation of the independent Holy Roman city Strasbourg, which was made easy by Austria's preoccupation with the Ottoman drive on Vienna. At the same time, Marshal Louis-Francois de Boufflers surrounded and began to bombard Luxembourg, ending the siege in March 1682 due to his unwillingness to assist the Ottoman offensive.

After the Siege of Vienna came to a close, the Austrians turned their attention westwards once more, and Luxembourg's refusal to fall to the French Army led to war breaking out. On 26 October 1683, Spain declared war on France, and Louis de Crevant, Duke of Humieres seized Courtrai on 6 November 1683. At the same time, Francois de Crequy bombarded Luxembourg before withdrawing in December 1683. From April to June 1684, Luxembourg was again besieged by the expert besieger Sebastien Le Prestre de Vauban, and the fortress' fall was a major victory for France. In May 1684, the French Navy bombarded Genoa to punish it for allowing the Spanish to use the port, destroying two-thirds of the city. On 15 August 1684, in the Truce of Ratisbon, France acquired Luxembourg from the Spanish Netherlands and Strasbourg from the Holy Roman Empire.